Wednesday, August 6, 2014

It is Well!

Sometimes words fail you.  You really don’t know what to say or can't find the right words to pray.  This is why I love worship music so much!  I can be at a loss for how to express what I’m feeling or thinking, and hear a song that seems like the author had a glimpse into my heart when they were composing the song.  It can minister to me more than a million well-meaning words.  I think sometimes these songs that minister to us are the Holy Spirit's way of giving us the words to pray over ourselves, those we love, and situations.

We all know that life is not without pain.  According to scripture, trials and suffering are a certainty in this world.  John 16:33 (HCSB) says, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace.  You WILL HAVE SUFFERING in this world.  Be courageous!  I have conquered the world."

Pain is never without purpose, even if we can't see or understand it on this side of eternity.  In our humanness, we can not see the grand design of God's plans for us, but we can be guaranteed that He creates beauty from ashes. (Is. 61:3) 

Many valuable things come from suffering.  2 Timothy 2:12, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him."  Romans 5:3 say, "Tribulation works patience."  David said, "It is good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes." (Ps.119:71)
     
Whatever season (Ecclesiastes 3) you find yourself in, just remember that the wind and waves still know His Name!  Let go and trust in Him!

I would like to share the story behind the great Hymn, It is Well with My Soul, by Horatio Spafford.  When I learned about it years ago, it gave me a greater appreciation for the hymn.  (Which is one my all time favorites!) 

This hymn was written after some very traumatic events in Spafford’s life.  First, was the death of his only son from Scarlet Fever in 1870. Secondly, he lost a significant amount of investment properties in property in Chicago which was decimated by a great fire in 1871.  His business was greatly affected by the economic downturn of 1873.  At this particular time he had planned to travel to Europe with his family.  In a late change of plans, he sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business.

While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship sank after a collision, and all four of Spafford's daughters died.  His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone …".  Shortly after, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife in England, he was inspired to write the words of It is Well with My Soul as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

Even through all these trials, Horatio Spafford had peace.

I love the original hymn, and I absolutely adore this newer version, It is Well by Kristen DiMarco on the Bethel Worship C.D., You Make Me Brave.  The lyrics are below if you can't view the video. 

I leave you with a great promise to hold on to......And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 



Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
Seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard



Through it all, through it all

My eyes are on You
Through it all, through it all
It is well
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
It is well with me


Far be it from me to not believe
Even when my eyes can’t see
And this mountain that’s in front of me
Will be thrown into the midst of the sea

Through it all, through it all

My eyes are on You
Through it all, through it all
It is well
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
It is well with me





So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name



It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul

Monday, August 4, 2014

The Lion and The Lamb!

 
Saturday night I fell asleep listening to my Kindle reading Revelation 5 to me.  If you would like to read it, follow this link to Revelation 5.  Oh, it's good!  In this chapter, you find John weeping because there is none found who is worthy to open the seal of the scroll.  An elder tells him not to weep because the Lion of Judah has conquered, and He is able to open the scroll.  John then sees a Lamb (with the appearance of having been slain) who comes and takes the scroll. HEAVEN ERUPTS WITH PRAISE!  I can only imagine.  I drifted off to sleep listening to this....and had this dream!

I saw a huge lion standing poised and ready to attack.  The tension in the air was like electricity.  There was fire in the lion's eyes, and it felt like it was burning into me.  To say I was afraid is a vast understatement!  Laying in front of the lion a few feet was a lamb, also large in size.  The lamb was covered in blood and had his back to the lion.  The sounds I heard are hard to describe.  I heard the rumbling of thunder, and the voices...OH THE VOICES!  They were singing multiple songs all at once, and the volume was shaking the place where I stood.  Yet the noise was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard! 

I heard a voice from the lamb tell me to come and take refuge in his arms.  So I went slowly, keeping my eyes on the lion as I went, fearful he might lunge at any minute.

I laid in the embrace of the lamb trembling with fear.  I worked to slow my breathing so I could listen to my surroundings.  I heard a thunderous and deafening sound.  It was much louder than the thunder I had been hearing already.  I felt wind all around me that had more force than the winds of tornadoes or hurricanes.  The lamb held onto me so I would not be blown away.  I knew it was the lion roaring! 

Like a television screen, all the sins I had ever committed began to run through my mind, one after the other.  No one told me, but I just understood that the earsplitting roar was the Wrath of God.  It was the punishment I deserved for all my sins, but the lamb was shielding me from it.  I was soaked in my tears as I realized the lamb was taking the punishment that was meant for me as I laid safely in His arms!

The strong wind blew everything else around us completely away.  I curled up as tight as I could inside the embrace of the lamb.  I began to notice that blood was running off the lamb onto me.  Not just a trickle, but like a rushing stream.  As the winds from the lion's mouth blew against the back of the lamb, it caused the fleece to move fiercely and pour blood onto me.  The harder the wind blew, the more it caused the blood to flow from the lamb onto me! 

Then, the dream abruptly ended when my alarm went off to get ready for church.

When I woke up Sunday morning, I understood completely what the whole dream meant.  God, even in His great love and mercy, must execute justice because He is a Righteous God.  In Him, we find both the Lion (Justice) and the Lamb (mercy).  I DESERVE THE WRATH OF GOD AND NOTHING LESS!  Because I heard the call of Jesus (the lamb) and went to Him, His blood shields me from that punishment I so deserve.  How great His love is for me!  I am undone!

May we never lose our wonder!  Wide-eyed and mystified, may we be just like a child staring at the beauty of OUR KING!  JESUS, You are beautiful in ALL YOUR WAYS!

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalms 73:25-26